Although consumers have traditionally purchased products and services in brick-and-mortar retail stores, an increasing number of users opt to purchase from the same retail enterprises through their respective online portals. Online retail environments provide convenient access for purchasing goods and services to a number of potential consumers. This convenient access also provides a mechanism for advertisers to target consumers.
In general, advertisers expend substantial resources to draw in consumers to both in-store and online venues. Advertisements are presented to website visitors in a number of different forms and a variety of manners. Certain advertisements are presented as banners while others are presented to visitors via emails, text messages and other media.
Third parties sometimes purchase advertising or promotional rights from a retail enterprise operating an online environment. Such promotional activities may involve presentation of coupons for selected categories of products or services. The activities may also include invitations to participate in rewards or loyalty programs.
The retail enterprise operating an online environment may also directly present advertising and promotional material. Examples of such content include invitations to secure co-branded credit cards, loyalty program information, and notices concerning sales and promotions. The promotional content may be directed to, and intended to encourage, in-store transactions, online transactions or both. The users to whom the promotions are presented may have online profiles which are mined to help target the promotional offers to users most likely to have an interest in them.